Improvement in manufacture of hats



. Gr.r H. DIMOND.

Manufacture of Hats.

Patented May/14,1878.

N WHZYE@ wm/Tom Ny FETES, PHOTO-LITHDGRAPHER UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

GEORGE H. DIMOND, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN MANUFCTURE OF HATS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N o. 203,603, dated May 14, 1878,' application filed April 13, 1878.

` To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, GEORGE H. DIMoND, of Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have made certain Improvements in the Manufacture of Hats; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, forming part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention may be considered animprovement upon my previous invention secured by Letters Patent dated May 2, 1876, and is intended to more fully accomplish the results thereby obtained-viz., to strengthen and ornament the brim, and at the same time impart to the hat a symmetrical shape without interfering with its iiexibility to any undesirable extent.

My improvement is desirable in the manui facture of all that kind of hats known as soft hats, or those which Vare not held in shape by the introduction of sizing or other stiffening material or substance, and especially where lightness is particularly desirable, as in what is known to thetrade as pocket hats, or in those having extremely wide brims, where the introduction of a sufficient quantity of the felt composing the hat to keep the brim in shape renders the same both expensive and inconveniently heavy.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings shows a finished hat; and Fig. 2 shows the same folded, as for carrying in a valise or pocket. Fig. 3 is a top view of a section of the brim; and Fig. 4, an edge view of a section of Fig. 3, cut from o to o.

A shows the felt composing the brim of the hat; B, the binding; C, the cord; D, the stitching securing the binding to the brim; and E, stitching between the cord and the edge of the brim.

To accomplish the purposes before stated, I place within the binding B, during the operation 'of stitching the same upon the hat, a stron g and iiexible, yet comparatively inelastic, cord, .(shownat C 5) and, before overlapping the ends of the binding upon finishing, I draw the cord within the binding to contract the circumference of the brim to such an extent as to impart to it any desired shape or degree of curl. I then cut the cord and unite its ends by stitchin g or otherwise, and then overlap the ends of the binding in the usualf demand, and then place another row of stitchi ing either through the cord and binding or through the binding between the cord and the edge of the brim, as shown at E, (preferably the 1atter,) to fasten the cord securely in that position. Y

The method of givingthis curl to thebrims of soft hats is at present to press the same in with a hot iron by the operation known to the trade as flanging, and then to stitch on the binding to hold it in that shape g but a binding which is sufficiently flexible to fold over the edge of the brim is necessarily so elastic that it but temporarily secures the end sought to be obtained.

The impossibility of holding the binding while beingstitched on with such equal tightness as to give a uniform appearance to the curl of the brim, or to increase or diminish the same at the sides or back and front, vas may be desirable, renders this feature practically impossible by the old methods; but by the use of the cord in the manner described I am afforded not only a means of conveniently imparting to the brim any desired shape, but

also of giving the hat a greater durability than by any other process in use.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The cord C, when used in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

`GEORGE H. DIMOND. Witnesses:

A. STEWARD, H. E. FRENCH. 

